Winkler, Henry (Franklin) 1945-

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Winkler, Henry (Franklin) 1945-

PERSONAL: Born October 30, 1945, in New York, NY; married Stacey Weitzman, May 5, 1978; children: Jed Weitzman, Zoe Emily, Max. Education: Emerson College, bachelor's degree, 1967, Ph.D., 1978; Yale School of Drama, M.F.A., 1970.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Grosset & Dunlap Publicity, 345 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014.

CAREER: Actor, director, producer, and writer. Has appeared as an actor in numerous feature films, including Crazy Joe, 1974; The Lords of Flatbush, 1974; Heroes, 1977; The One and Only, 1978; Night Shift, 1982; Scream, 1996; Ground Control, 1998; Ugly Naked People, 1999; Elevator Seeking, 1999; P.U.N.K.S., 1999; Dill Scallion, 1999; Down to You, 2000; I Shaved My Legs for This, 2001; Holes, 2003; Fronterz, 2004; Berkeley, 2005; Unbeatable Harold, 2005; The Kid & I, 2005; and Click, 2006.

Acting roles on television include, Nightmare, 1974; Happy Days (series), 1974-84; Katherine, 1975; America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music, 1976; An American Christmas Carol, 1979; Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, (cartoon series), 1980; The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley with the Fonz Show, 1982; Happily Ever After, 1985; Absolute Strangers, 1991; The Only Way Out, 1993; One Christmas, 1994; Monty (series), 1994; A Child Is Missing, 1995; Dad's Week Off, 1997; Detention: The Siege at Johnson High, 1997; Clifford's Puppy Days (cartoon series), 2003; and Out of Practice (series), 2005. Appeared as himself in numerous television documentaries and shows and as a guest character actor (as "The Fonz") on numerous television shows, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Laverne & Shirley, and The Bob Newhart Show.

Producer or executive producer on numerous films and television shows, including Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?, 1977; Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land, 1983; Ryan's Four, 1983; When Your Lover Leaves, 1983; Strong Kids, Safe Kids, 1984; All the Kids Do It, 1984; Scandal Sheet, 1985; Sure Thing, 1985; MacGyver (television series), 1985; Young Sherlock Holmes, 1985; Mr. Sunshine (television series), 1985; A Family Again, 1988; Starting Now, 1989; Sightings (television series), 1992; Monty (television series), 1994; MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis, 1994; MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday, 1994; A Child Is Missing, 1995; Dead Man's Gun (television series), 1997; So Weird (television series), 1999; TVography: Happy Days, 2001; TVography: Laverne & Shirley, 2001; TVography: Home Improvement—A Half Hour of Power, 2002; A&E Biography: TVography—The Partridge Family, 2002; Sightings: Heartland Ghost, 2002; WinTuition (television series), 2002; Hollywood Squares (television series), 2002- Young MacGyver, 2003; Unexplained Mysteries, 2003; Dallas Reunion: Return to Southfork, 2004; Happy Days: Thirtieth Anniversary Reunion, 2005; and Knots Landing Reunion: Celebrating Twenty-five Years, 2005.

Directing credits include television shows Joanie Loves Chachi (television series), 1982; All the Kids Do It, 1984; A Smoky Mountain Christmas, 1986; Dave's World (television series), 1993; Too Something (television series), 1995; Clueless (television series), 1996; and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (television series), 1996. Also director of the films Steve Martin Live (concert segment), 1986; Memories of Me, 1988; and Cop & 1/2, 1993.

WRITINGS:

The Other Side of Henry Winkler: My Story, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1976.

"HANK ZIPZER, THE ALMOST TRUE CONFESSIONS OF THE WORLD'S BEST UNDERACHEIVER" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

(With Lin Oliver) Niagara Falls, or Does It?, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2003.

(With Lin Oliver) I Got a "D" in Salami, illustrated by Carol Heyer, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2003.

(With Lin Oliver) Day of the Iguana, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2003.

(With Lin Oliver) The Zippity Zinger, illustrated by Carol Heyer, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Lin Oliver) The Night I Flunked My Field Trip, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Lin Oliver) Holy Enchilada!, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Lin Oliver) Help! Somebody Get Me out of Fourth Grade!, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Lin Oliver) Summer School! What Genius Thought That Up?, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2005.

(With Lin Oliver) The Secret Life of a Ping-Pong Wizard, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2005.

ADAPTATIONS: Niagara Falls, or Does It? and Day of the Iguana have been produced as audiobooks, both by Library/ Imagination Studio, 2003.

SIDELIGHTS: Henry Winkler became a television star in the 1970s with his role as "The Fonz" on the television series Happy Days. In 1976, at the height of his popularity, Winkler published his memoir, The Other Side of Henry Winkler: My Story. Winkler has since acted, directed, and produced in both genres of film and television. He has also cowritten the "Hank Zipzer, the Almost True Confessions of the World's Best Underacheiver" series with Lin Oliver. The books feature Hank Zipzer, a wisecracking grade-school student who is a notorious underachiever with a big imagination. Hank (like Winkler) also has a learning disability called dyslexia that makes it difficult for him to read, write, and spell. In the first book in the series, Niagara Falls, or Does It?, Hank is entering the fourth grade, and his teacher wants his class to write essays about what they did over the summer. Because of his difficulty in completing schoolwork, Hank decides to take the show-and-tell route and build an exhibit demonstrating his summer visit to Niagara Falls. But his exhibit falls apart in the classroom, causing a minor flood and detention for Hank. Hank is depressed but recovers when he is able to participate in a music talent show and play an important role in making it a success.

In a review of Niagara Falls, or Does It? in the School Library Journal, Barbara Auerbach commented that "Humor, magic, a school bully, a pet dachshund …, and a pet iguana … add up to a fun novel with something for everyone." A Kirkus Reviews contributor called the book a "clunky but well-meant series kickoff," while Lauren Peterson, writing in Booklist, noted that a few "characters are stereotypes … but others, including Hank, are believable and sympathetic." Peterson went on to call the book an "enjoyable, fast-paced novel." In a review in Reading Today, Lynne T. Burke noted, "The first-person perspective brings Hank sharply into focus."

In I Got a "D" in Salami, Hank sets out to hide from his parents the fact that he has received numerous "D's" on his report card. In his attempt to hide the report card, Hank inadvertently causes it to be ground up in the soy salami his mother is making in hopes of marketing it to a supermarket chain. In a review of both I Got a "D" in Salami, and Niagara Falls, or Does It?, a Publishers Weekly contributor commented, "Both tales deftly blend comedy and pathos, and the exploration of Hank's academic struggles is never heavy-handed." The review also noted that the books have "snappy timing, pitch-perfect dialogue and a wise-cracking delivery." Elizabeth Fernandez, writing a review of I Got a "D" in Salami, in School Library Journal, commented, "Readers will … laugh out loud at the slapstick, slippery slope of Hank's predicament."

In Day of the Iguana Hank disassembles the television's cable box to see how it works so he can invent a slower television guide for recording programs as part of a science project. When he attempts to reassemble the cable box, he finds that his sister's pet iguana has made a nest in it, thus further complicating the situation. Hank comes up with several plans to rectify the situation before his parents and teachers find out. In a review in School Library Journal, Catherine Threadgill noted that the story "explores friendship, forgiveness, understanding, and honesty." Threadgill also called Hank "a likable protagonist."

Hank and his classmates go on a school outing to the harbor in The Night I Flunked My Field Trip. Hank accidentally unties a ship from its moorings and the ship begins to drift out to sea. Unfortunately, the captain and crew are actually actors without any seafaring abilities. School Library Journal contributor Debbie Stewart Hoskins commented that "fans of the series will enjoy spending more time with Hank and his cohorts."

In Somebody Get Me out of Fourth Grade! Hank is stressed over the upcoming parent-teacher conference, the chance that he might not graduate from the fourth grade, and the idea the he might be in the same class as his little sister next year. As a result, Hank sets out to ensure that he will not be the only one from his class repeating grade four. Vicki Arkoff, writing in MBR Bookwatch felt that the novel is "a hoot, filled with genuine angst … and fast-moving action." In Summer School! What Genius Thought That Up? Hank must face the inevitable summer school if he is to go on to the fifth grade. MBR Bookwatch contributor Arkoff called the book "terrifically fun summer reading."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 1, 2003, Lauren Peterson, review of Niagara Falls, or Does It?, p. 1598.

Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2003, review of Niagara Falls, or Does It?, p. 686.

MBR Bookwatch, January, 2005, Vicki Arkoff, review of Help! Somebody Get Me out of Fourth Grade!; May, 2005, Vicki Arkoff, review of Summer School! What Genius Thought That Up?

Publishers Weekly, June 2, 2003, review of Niagara Falls, or Does It? and I Got a "D" in Salami, p. 52; November 17, 2003, review of Day of the Iguana, p. 67.

Reading Today, August-September, 2003, Lynne T. Burke, review of Niagara Falls, or Does It?, p. 32.

School Library Journal, May, 2003, Barbara Auerbach, review of Niagara Falls, or Does It?, p. 133; October, 2003, Elizabeth Fernandez, review of I Got a "D" in Salami, p. 142; February, 2004, Catherine Threadgill, review of Day of the Iguana, p. 125; December, 2004, Debbie Stewart Hoskins, review of The Night I Flunked My Field Trip, p. 125.